Method and System for E-Mail Message Transmission

1. A method for signing an e-mail message, comprising: receiving a plurality of e-mail messages by a security manager of an e-mail firewall, at least a first message and a second message are from different users associated with different user systems; the security manager determining if a signature is required for at least two of the received e-mail messages by applying a signature policy which refers to policy rules to determine whether a signature is required by reference to attributes of an e-mail message; retrieving a signing certificate for the at least two messages in response to said applying a signature policy by reference to a signature policy which refers to policy rules to identify the kind of signing certificate to retrieve by reference to attributes of an e-mail message; applying the retrieved signing certificate to each message; and forwarding each message for further processing by the e-mail firewall.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining if a signature is required for the message is by applying a first signature policy and said retrieving of a signature is by reference to a second signature policy.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining and said retrieving is by reference to applying of one signature policy.